From ‘Carmageddon’ To ‘The Rampture’: 405 Ramp Closures Set To Start Friday

LOS ANGELES (CBS) — “Carmageddon 2,” “The Rampture,” or “RampJam”. Whatever name you choose to call it, the sequel to last year’s partial closure of the 405 Freeway is set to start Friday.

The Westbound Wilshire on- and off-ramps are the first ramps scheduled for 90-day closures. Reconstruction of all eight Wilshire ramps is expected to take more than one year.

Motorists in the West Los Angeles area are being urged to prepare for delays during the project, which is aimed at easing the flow of traffic at an interchange where one of the nation’s busiest boulevards meets the nation’s busiest freeway.

According to Metro, Sunset Boulevard and Santa Monica Boulevard are recommended alternatives for commuters.

Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky told KNX 1070 NEWSRADIO that after “multiple accidents over the years”, this project is long overdue.

“On- and off-ramps at Wilshire and the San Diego Freeway are the most dangerous on- and off-ramps in the United States,” said Yaroslavsky. “The people who drive that freeway understand that in order to get off the freeway, you have to cut in front of traffic that’s accelerating to get on the freeway.”

Yaroslavsky and officials with the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro), Caltrans and Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) are urging the public to “Plan Ahead, Adjust Travel Times, or Share the Ride”.

This fact sheet from Metro shows the current ramp structure and how the interchange is expected to perform once construction is finished, with some closures lasting as few as 14 days.

Public transportation use soared to record levels last year when a section of the 405 Freeway through the Sepulveda Pass was closed for the project’s first phase.